 Know and understand the term Solar Constant

 Solar Constant- The average amount of insolation (solar radiation) that reaches the
Earth’s atmosphere
 Characteristics of solar radiation
o reflected by clouds and atmosphere
o Absorbed by ocean or ground (diffuse radiation)
o Some reflected back via albedo
 Albedo: the reflectivity of a substance
o Dark surfaces absorb better
o light surfaces reflect better
o absorbed solar energy raises temperature of surface
 Direct radiation: Shortwave radiation reaches the Earth’s surface without interruption
 how middle to high latitude places on the planet receive FOUR seasons
o Earth’s tilt (23.5o) causes certain parts to be closer/farther from sun
o More insolation when closer to sun’s rays
o Hemisphere closer to tilt experience summer while the other experiences winter
o When earth is halfway through orbit both hemispheres are equal distances
 Know why some places on the planet receive more insolation than other places
o intensity of solar radiation decreases further from the equator
o Stronger when facing sun and weaker when not
 Understand how the mechanisms responsible for the formation of hurricanes
(tropical cyclones) and why they eventually diminish and die
o Fueled by latent heat from warm air/seas
o Always begin in same low-pressure warm place
o Difference in air pressure between two area cause movement of air(wind)
o Diminish over land due to a loss of energy
 Characteristics of hurricanes
o Eyewall: wall of dense connective activity formed by winds going center and up
o Eye: center of storm that has no precipitation or winds
o Winds 74+ mph, 5 categories of hurricanes
 Understand saturated air and how changes in temperature affect saturated air
 Saturated air - max amount of moisture the air can hold at a temperature
 Decrease in temperature reduces the evaporation rate, results in clouds, fog, rain
 Dew point - temperature at which saturated air causes water droplets to form/condense
 Understand how hygroscopic nuclei are important in cloud formation
 Hygroscopic nuclei - small particles necessary for the water vapor to condense onto
 Water molecules too small to bond together, must bond to nuclei to make clouds
 Understand the processes of condensation and evaporation and how they are
important in cloud formation
 Condensation- gas to liquid (release energy), forms cloud/fog
 Evaporation: Liquid to gas
 Define clouds and their basic characteristics
 Cirrus= curl of hair; high, white, and thin
 Cumulus= individual cloud masses, flat base, resemble cauliflower
 Stratus= layers and sheets; no distinct individual cloud units.
 Know the types of clouds and the types of weather associated with them
 High clouds: above 20,000 feet
o Cirrus, Cirrostratus, o Not rain bearing, made of ice
cirrocumulus
 Middle clouds: 6,500-20,000 feet
o Prefix alto- in their name o Altocumulus, altostratus
 Low Clouds: below 6,500 feet
o Stratus, stratocumulus, o Nimbo = rain cloud
nimbostratus
 Clouds of vertical development- low altitude range and push air upwards, unstable air
o Cumulus clouds- associated with fair weather, look like sheep (typical)
o Causes towering cloud (Cumulonimbi) by creating thunderstorms
 Know and understand the global wind circulation chart
o Driven by intense heat at the equator
o KNOW HOW TO DRAW
 Know four mechanisms that are responsible for producing rain areas across globe
 Orographic lifting- when air flows over a mountain
 Frontal Lifting- less dense, warm air is forced to rise over cooler, denser air
 Convection - solar energy pass through and heats surface, making air less dense and rise
 Convergence- air near surface squeezes together and is pushed upward
 Know and understand how the ITCZ operates in the formation of clouds and rain
 The Inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ) is not fixed at one location, not straight
 causes air to move to it via high vs low pressure, accumulate precipitation
 Understand the monsoon weather producing system in S.E. Asia
 Monsoon- winds that change direction with the season due to pressure
o Summer: moisture winds from sea to land
o Winter: dry winds from land to sea
 Understand how altitude modifies atmospheric temperatures
 altitude and atmospheric temperature are inverses,
 less dense means less is absorbed and less heat
 Define interception, stem flow, subsurface flow, overland flow, evapotranspiration,
base flow and the water table.
o Interception- precipitation that lands on vegetation before reaching earth surface
o Stem flow- directs precipitation down plant branches and stems
o Subsurface flow- flow of water beneath earth's surface
o Overland flow- flow of water over the Earth's surface
o Evapotranspiration- evaporation and transpiration
o Base flow- normal day to day discharge of the river
o Water table- underground surface saturated that separates underground zone
o interception and vegetation influence overland flow by reducing it from occurring
 Understand why sometimes carbon dioxide is released from permafrost and why in
some instances, methane is released from permafrost
o Increased melting caused old sources to be uncovered, releasing Carbon
o If oxygen present release CO2, if not release CH4